Home to the Cowboy, page 18
“Cole!” Kay flew to him when he entered the house. “Why haven’t you called us? How is Ever?”
“She’s stable.” Cole sat down at the kitchen table. “No one knows anything until they run more tests, but as of two hours ago, she was hanging in there.”
Cole’s family was gathered around the table and he explained the little bit Fannie had told them about Ever’s seizure. He also spoke about Lorraine’s husband. Ever’s foster mother hadn’t been in the waiting room or the hallway, but he hoped she would be there at some point to offer the little girl comfort.
He hated that he’d thought the worst of the woman all along, but if she’d told them what was going on, they would have supported her. It would have been nice to at least have a conversation with her so they understood where the other was coming from.
“Did Tess say anything else before she left?” Miranda asked.
“That was it, she wanted some time.” Cole braced his hands on his knees. “What does that even mean?”
“I can understand if she’s feeling a little crowded.” His mother stood before him. “This is a huge, life-changing responsibility.”
“One I’m ready for.” Cole twisted off the top of the water bottle she handed him and tossed it into the trash. “I’ve never been more certain of anything in my life. It was horrible seeing Ever tied to all those machines.”
“Welcome to parenthood, son.”
When the house cleared out Kay joined Cole on the leather sofa in front of the fireplace. The warm glow and snapping of the sap from the oak that burned within its brick depths did nothing to ease his mind.
Wordlessly, Cole cursed being in a toasty house, with his mother by his side. He pictured Ever alone in a strange place and a cold, stark room. His heart broke in ways he didn’t think possible. One way or another he was bringing Ever home to stay and he didn’t care if he had to spend his last dollar to do it.
“Don’t get mad at me for asking this, honey.” His mother’s soft voice cut through his thoughts. “Can you honestly deny having any doubts about your ability to care for and deal with Ever’s medical needs?”
Cole leaned his head against the couch and squeezed his eyes shut.
“I’ll take your silence as a no.” Kay laid her hand over Cole’s. “You’re human and it’s okay to have doubts. Tess was honest and up front with you, which is more than you can say for yourself.”
Of course he had doubts about Ever’s medical needs, but her happiness far outweighed any risks and doubts out there, and whatever problems arose, he would deal with them. Wasn’t that what parents did? They supported and comforted their children, no matter the hour or the situation. You squelched that fear and remained strong for your kids.
“Tess can’t just walk away and avoid the situation,” Cole said. “Not at this stage.”
“Sure she can, honey, especially if she’s scared.” Kay tucked her legs underneath her, reclining into the corner of the couch. “She hasn’t left either one of you. She’s just looking for a little time to think things through. I can’t tell you how many times I was scared when you boys were growing up. One of you was always in the hospital with broken bones, appendicitis, concussions. You four had me downright terrified sometimes.”
“If you were scared you never showed it,” Cole said.
“Not to you or your brothers.” Kay reached out, resting her hand upon his shoulder. “Your father saw my fear and I saw his. We relied on each other and were there for one another to get through it, together.”
“Fine,” Cole agreed. “I’ll give her all the time she needs.”
“When you give birth to a child, you have nine months to prepare for the little tyke,” Kay said. “Then you ease into the day-to-day routine, learning as you go along. Adopting a four-year-old is altogether different. Suddenly you have a walking, talking, active child and there is no easing into anything. One day she’s not in your life, the next you have a little person asking you why the sky’s blue.”
“I hadn’t looked at it like that.”
“You have a big heart. Probably the biggest of any of you boys, and I don’t think your brothers would argue with me on it, either. Adopting a child is not easy and it’s a huge adjustment for the parents and the child, but in the end, I think that’s what Tess was trying to get you to understand. She didn’t tell you to leave and not to come back.”
“No, she didn’t.”
“When you do talk to Tess, you need to tell her your fears and concerns so she doesn’t feel like she’s the bad one. A successful marriage is one with open dialogue and communication.”
Why was it mothers were always right? He would give Tess her space and he’d allow himself the same courtesy. Tomorrow’s only saving grace was Jesse’s bachelor trip.
* * *
TESS STOOD AT the edge of the street and watched Cole pull away.
“Tess,” Maggie called from the porch. “Is that you, honey?”
Inhaling deeply, Tess plodded up the driveway and porch stairs.
“Tess, what’s wrong?” Maggie wrapped her arm around her daughter, guiding her through the door. “Henry, where are you?”
Tess told her parents about the past few hours, and then swung her legs up and laid her head against the arm of the couch. Ricky jumped on her lap and made his way up her chest, lying across her, purring loudly while she stroked his back. The last thing she remembered was her mother covering her legs with a blanket.
Tess awoke shortly after midnight, Ricky asleep soundlessly on top of her. She reached into her pocket for her phone, waking her feline companion. One missed call. Disappointed to see it was from Treena Abbott, the headhunter in Austin she’d spoken to a few weeks earlier, she listened to the voice mail message. A company was interested in setting up an interview with her.
The salary of a large firm was tempting, but the commute no longer fit into her anticipated lifestyle. She sent Treena a polite email to thank her, and, scooping Ricky up in her arms, she climbed the stairs and slid beneath the covers of her bed. Normally her cat wasn’t this attentive, but sensing her anguish, he stayed curled up on her pillow all night.
The next morning, Tess awoke with the overwhelming need to see Ever. She knew she could handle whatever came their way, even if she had to do it alone. Last night she told Cole she wasn’t walking away from him, but damned if it didn’t feel like a break-up when Tess told him she needed some time.
The thought of adopting Ever without Cole was her plan from the beginning. Once he became a part of it, it began to flow naturally as though they were really a family, fitting together seamlessly. Now Tess had difficulty imagining going through this alone and it bothered her beyond reason.
She quickly dressed and made her way to the hospital. The elevator doors opened and Tess saw a doctor leaving Ever’s room.
“Excuse me, Doctor.” Tess raced to catch up with him. “I’m Tess Dalton. Ever’s CPS caseworker added me to her approved list. Have you found out why she had the seizure?”
“It’s a pleasure, Ms. Dalton. I’m Dr. Sutter and it appears the seizure was a result of one of her new medications. It was an extremely rare side effect that only two patients exhibited in the case study. We’re going to keep her here for observation for a few more days to be on the safe side. I expect Ever to be back to her usual self in no time.”
“Thank you.” Tess enthusiastically shook his hand. “I am so relieved.”
“Tess?” a voice called from the waiting area. Lorraine stood in the middle of the room, looking forlorn.
“Lorraine.” Tess walked over to the woman, who appeared thinner and paler than she had at Monkey Junction. “It’s nice to finally meet you.”
“Fannie said you wanted to talk to me.”
“I do.” Tess attempted to meet Lorraine’s eyes, but she stared at the floor. Tess felt like the wicked witch, trying to steal away the little girl this woman had raised from infancy. “Can we grab a cup of coffee downstairs?”
Lorraine nodded and they rode the elevator in silence. Tess sat across from Lorraine in the cafeteria and debated how to start the conversation. She had a million questions but none of them seemed right to ask first.
“Fannie told us yesterday about your husband. I’m very sorry you had to go through that.”
Lorraine lifted her head, her eyes filled with tears. “We really wanted to adopt her.”
Tess’s reached across the table and took Lorraine’s hands in hers. The two women held each other’s gaze, and instantly Tess understood why the woman had been so distant.
“Then why don’t you?” Tess asked.
“Because after Guthrie died, I knew I couldn’t give Ever the care she needed.” Lorraine attempted a tight smile. “At least not like you and Cole can. She deserves a complete family, one who can provide more for her than I can.”
“I’m so sorry.” Tess looked down at the table. “I never meant to come in and take her from you.”
Lorraine squeezed her hands. “Don’t be sorry for me. You and Cole have so much more to offer her. I’m still dealing with the loss of my husband. Just promise me—promise me you’ll take care of that little girl. I’ve loved her as if she were my own.”
“I promise.” Tess squeezed Lorraine’s hand. “I promise she will always know who you are.”
* * *
NOT WANTING YOUR typical bachelor party, Jesse asked his brothers to join him and take their father’s 1938 one-of-a-kind wooden twin-engine Chris-Craft Sportsman boat to Callicoon Lake. The overnight trip was to honor their father on the lake where they’d spent so many weekends camping and fishing when they were kids.
Leaving at four in the morning to make the three-hour drive, they launched the boat and visited each of the fishing coves their father loved. Chase pointed out where he had his first kiss and they laughed about the time Shane was bit by a pickerel and had to have his big toe stitched up.
At last they sat down in front of the fire they’d made to cook their catch. “I owe Tess an apology.” Shane handed Cole another beer. “I wish Dad had come up with the combined facility idea so we didn’t feel so left out of his plans. He was an all-or-nothing man, wasn’t he?”
“That he was.” Chase threw another battered catfish on the sizzling cast-iron pan.
“I’m getting married,” Jesse sang, with a shot of whiskey in hand. “M-A-R-R-I-E-D. To the most beautiful woman in the world. Here I thought I was destined to be a bachelor.”
“I’ll have some of whatever he’s drinking.” Chase laughed.
Cole wanted to join in their celebration, but he found it increasingly difficult to think of anyone other than Ever. The following morning, Cole started cleaning up the campsite before dawn. By the time his brothers awoke, he had the truck packed and ready to hit the road.
“Do any of you mind if we take a slight detour on the way home?”
Parking the truck and boat across the back of the hospital parking lot a couple of hours later, the four men made their way to Ever’s hospital room.
“You go on in, we’ll wait for you out here,” Shane said.
Pushing the door open, Cole saw Ever curled up on her bed. Ducking back out the door, he asked the station nurse where the gift shop was and purchased the softest and most huggable mahogany-colored teddy bear. All children deserved a teddy bear to hold on to, and once he was upstairs again, he had an idea. He told his brothers to insure every child in the hospital had their own stuffed animal to comfort them. And if the gift shop didn’t have enough to go around, they should call the closest toy store to have them delivered.
As he approached her bedside, Ever opened her eyes and held her arms out to him.
“CC!” she cried out. “Please take me home, CC. Please.”
Cole wrapped her in his arms as best the wires and sensors connected to her would allow. He wordlessly cursed the machines monitoring her, wanting to whisk her away to someplace warm and safe, where nothing could harm her.
Fighting the urge to take her and run, he squeezed the teddy bear between them.
“This is for you, honey.”
Ever wrapped her small arms around the bear, still remaining close to him. He felt her fear in the slight tremble of her body. Her eyes were squeezed tight and he wondered if she were trying to will herself somewhere else.
He stayed with her until she fell asleep and the nurse came in to tell him morning visiting hours were over. Outside in the waiting area, his brothers sat with a very rosy-cheeked Fannie.
“Cole.” A flustered Fannie jumped to her feet and shook his hand. “Your brothers are quite, um, entertaining.”
Cole knew they made a formidable-looking crew. Not lacking in the looks department, they tended to draw attention when they were together, especially when they competed in the rodeo.
“I’m glad you’re here,” Cole said to the caseworker. “It saves me a phone call. I want to go ahead with the adoption.”
“Have you spoken with Tess?” Fannie questioned.
“No, he hasn’t,” Jesse chimed in from his chair.
Cole rolled his eyes, “Not since the other day—she needed time.”
“I think you should talk to Tess, too,” Fannie said.
“We think you should, too,” Chase added.
“What is this, a conspiracy?” Cole looked from Fannie to his brothers. “Don’t tell me they got to you. I thought you were trained to be immune to bull—”
“I assure you your brothers did not get to me. But I am advising you to discuss your plans with Miss Dalton. In the meantime, I will move forward with the paperwork. You know I can’t do much without your background-check results, which I’ve been told should be another day or so. Seems you know some people in high places.”
After being reassured she would call Cole if anything changed with Ever, the four brothers left the hospital. Not wanting to discuss Tess, they talked strategies for the new equine facility. Cole, Jesse and Kay would run Dance of Hope and Shane and Chase would have their Ride ’em High! Rodeo School.
Chapter Thirteen
The sun was barely on the horizon when the Magpie crew drove under Double Trouble’s iron arch, decorated heavily with white flowers and green ivy. The former Carter estate had had new life breathed into it since Miranda Archer came to town earlier that year after winning the Maryland lottery.
White satin ribbons and tulle wrapped around every tree and fence post. The horses in the pastures wore white bridles with pansies woven throughout their manes. Large white tents were set up in the south field, where the annual Fourth of July picnic took place.
“Bert, here are the keys.” Maggie held out her hand. “Can you and Bridgett take the van back to the Magpie and reload by yourselves or do you need me to grab some of the waitstaff to help you?”
“We have it,” Bert said. “Relax, Maggie. This isn’t your first wedding, everything will be fine.”
“You better knock on wood when you say that,” Maggie called after him. He responded by knocking on Bridgett’s head.
“You outdid yourself.” Kay joined her best friend. “Miranda fell in love with the idea of these miniature pies. A few bites is all you need of a great pie.”
“She wanted a dessert table and we gave her one. They’re apple, cherry and pear and if they set the lighting up the way I asked them to, the sugar-coated crusts will sparkle.”
A white runner with yellow rose petals divided the five rows of white wooden folding chairs into two large half circles on either side of the arbor. Each half circle would seat one hundred and fifty guests, Tess noted, taken aback by the unconventional yet gorgeous flow of the venue.
“Who designed the seating?” Tess asked “I’ve never seen that before.”
“Miranda was worried that Jesse’s side would have all the guests.” Kay lowered her voice. “With being new in town and not having any family, we went with the circle instead. No matter where you sit, you have a view of the couple during the ceremony.”
Placed on each seat was a tulle bag with birdseed for the guest to throw when the bride and groom walked down the aisle. Three hundred bags and Tess still had birdseed left over.
I hope everyone wants suet balls for Christmas.
Her mother’s Best of Both Worlds wedding cake drew the most attention. Five layers regally stood upon an ornate sterling-silver platform, on loan from Kay. A traditional white wedding cake featured ornate scallop-and-pearl piping on one side and milk-chocolate fondant and dark fudge drizzles on the other, the chocolate flowing from tier to tier.
Jesse didn’t look even the slightest bit nervous while he waited for Miranda to walk down the aisle. Cole served as his best man and it was nice seeing all four brothers stand together without looking like they wanted to kill each other.
Tess tensed when Cole turned in her direction. She hadn’t spoken to him since the other day and appreciated the time he was giving her to think things over. But after Lorraine’s declaration Tess felt Cole needed to know the truth.
Vicki, the maid of honor, and her bridesmaids, Lexi and Bridgett, made their way down the aisle in sage chiffon beaded empire-waist gowns. When the wedding march began everyone rose as Miranda walked down the aisle on Jon’s arm in a strapless Yumi Katsura haute couture gown Tess would have deemed only appropriate for an extravagant wedding at the Plaza on Fifth Avenue in Manhattan. The tiers of silk-satin hemmed organza beneath a bodice embellished with delicately jeweled Swarovski crystals appeared right at home in the ranch setting.
Miranda’s long blond hair was curled in ringlets and pinned back, forming a cascade of curls down her back. Carrying a simple white calla lily bouquet tied with a green satin ribbon, she made a stunning bride.
“Miranda,” Mable began. “The day I first laid eyes on you, I knew you were a match for this here stubborn mule of a man. It is an honor to be a part of your lives, and to officiate over this wedding in front of our friends and family. Lordy, I sure hope this internet ordainment is legal.”
